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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup final between South Africa and India, scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.

After 54 matches across a month of non-stop white-ball cricket action, South Africa and India have emerged as sides that will face off in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The Kensington Oval in Barbados will play host to this grand spectacle, in which the Proteas will look to make history with a first-ever world title, while India have not lifted the trophy since the inaugural year of the competition, which was held in South Africa.

Match preview

© Reuters

South Africans would have been waking up for their workday around the same time that Reeza Hendricks struck the winning runs against Afghanistan, which brought an end to the side’s semi-final jinx, and kept the dream alive that the nation’s cricket team could be the latest to add to their sporting triumphs in the last few years.

It took the Proteas seven consecutive heartbreaking World Cup semi-final defeats to find the perfect performance in Tarouba on Wednesday, overcoming Afghanistan, who had already defied the odds by sending Australia packing from the competition in the Super Eight to book their first-ever appearance in the last four of a World Cup competition.

After losing the toss, Aiden Markram‘s side were asked to bowl and they were on the front foot from the very first over, when Marco Jansen dismissed the tournament’s top-scorer Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck, before clean-bowling Gulbadin Naib in his second over with just 16 runs on the board for the Blue Tigers.

However, it was not just Jansen that got the best from the surface which provided ample assistance for the bowlers, as Kagiso Rabada also bagged 2/14, Anrich Nortje took 2/7 in three overs and mystery spinner Tabraiz Shamsi mopped up the tail, finishing with 3/6 in 11 balls.

South Africa bowled their opponents out for 56 in 11.5 overs, which is now the lowest total by any team in a T20 World Cup semi-final. The victory also marked the Protea’s eighth consecutive win in the shortest format – now the joint-longest winning streak for a team at the T20 World Cup, and the first time the side have ever won eight-in-a-row in T20Is, period.

When these two cricketing giants crossed paths at the 2022 edition of this tournament in Australia, the Proteas claimed a five-wicket victory. However, the Men in Blue have historically been the more successful in this fixture, winning 14 of the previous 26 matches, while South Africa have won 11 and one ended in a no result.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, India reserved their most emphatic performance of the tournament for their semi-final showdown where they exacted their revenge on England, who beat them in the very same match in the last World Cup, thanks to a record-breaking partnership between captain Jos Buttler and Alex Hales.

However, this time around, it was the Indian skipper who played the starring role, as Rohit Sharma put together a match-winning innings despite the early loss of Virat Kohli and the in-form Rishabh Pant, who was dismissed caught-behind off Sam Curran‘s bowling for just four runs in the sixth over.

Joined by Suryakumar Yadav at the crease, the two posted a workmanlike 73-run partnership between them, before Sharma was bamboozled by a stunning googly from Adil Rashid, which saw him head back to the pavilion for 57 of 39 balls, while Yadav went shortly after with 47 from 36 balls.

Defending 171/7, the spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav did the damage, taking six wickets between them, while Jasprit Bumrah knocked over the dangerous Phil Salt and Jofra Archer late on to finish with 2/12 in 2.4 overs, as England were bowled out 68 runs short of the target.

India finished as runners-up in this competition in 2014 and in the ODI World Cup last year, but they have undoubtedly been the pick of the sides in the tournament to this point, and are the bookmakers’ unanimous favourite to win the match and lift the title in Barbados on Saturday evening.

Team News

© Reuters

In an interview last week, Rob Walter was questioned about the form of Reeza Hendricks, to which he responded by saying that the 34-year-old’s best runs were yet to come, and the opener proved the head coach right in the last match.

South Africa will only hope that Quinton de Kock can find the form he showed at the top of the order in the Super Eight when he surged into the top 10 run-scorers in the competition with back-to-back half-centuries against the USA and England.

Given the Proteas’ performance with the ball in the last match, it is likely that Markram will maintain the same lineup with two specialist spinners, which will leave no place for Ottneil Baartman in the starting 11.

Virat Kohli scored just nine runs in the last match and only 75 in the tournament, but you can never write off the two-time T20 World Cup top-scorer, who has a knack for turning up in the most important games for his country.

Arshdeep Singh ended with a rare wicketless spell in the last match and is now two scalps behind the tournament’s leading bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi, who claimed the sole wicket of De Kock in the first semi-final.

India’s lineup is likely to feature three spinners in Patel, Yadav and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, while Hardik Pandya is expected to round off the three pace options, alongside Bumrah and Singh.

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Series so far

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: South Africa won by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

Match Seven: South Africa won by 3 wickets (DLS method)
West Indies – 135/8 (20)
South Africa 124/7 (16.1)

Match Eight: South Africa won by 9 wickets
Afghanistan – 56 (11.5)
South Africa – 60/1 (8.5)

India

Match One: India won by 8 wickets
Ireland – 96 (16)
India – 97/2 (12.2)

Match Two: India won by 6 runs
India – 119 (19)
Pakistan – 113/7 (20)

Match Three: India won by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Match Five: India won by 47 runs
India – 181/8
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Match Six: India won by 50 runs
India – 196/5 (20)
Bangladesh – 146/8 (20)

Match Seven: India won by 24 runs
India – 205/5 (20)
Australia – 181/7 (20)

Match Eight: India won by 68 runs
India – 171/7 (20)
England – 103 (16.4)

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

South African fans dare to dream of bringing an end to years of near-misses, while India followers from around the globe are preparing to see their heroes reclaim the top honour in the shortest format of white-ball cricket.

While India have been the better side in the tournament, South Africa have found a way to earn victories, often from very trying positions. In high-stakes matches like this, the underdog tag often helps take the pressure off the side wearing it, and we feel that could be the case for the Proteas in this one.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Afghanistan, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday.

Sixteen teams began the tournament and only four remain as South Africa and Afghanistan prepare to do battle in the first semi-final of the 2024 T20 World Cup on Thursday morning.

The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will host this matchup between the Proteas and Blue Tigers, and the winner will move on to the grand final where they will face either India or England.

Match preview

© Reuters

Safe to say, South Africa are no strangers to heartbreak, having bowed out in the semi-final of World Cup events seven consecutive times in the past, and hoping it will be eighth-time lucky.

However, given the teams remaining in the competition, the Proteas will likely feel that they have got about the best fixture they could have hoped for, and will have a genuine belief that the stars are aligned for them this year.

South Africa booked their spot in the last four by beating the West Indies by three wickets via the DLS method in their final Super Eight match, even though none of their batsmen managed more than 30 runs in the chase.

Still, Aiden Markram‘s side are the only ones to have played and won all seven of their matches up to this point, and while there is a case to be made that they have not been as convincing as India, winning by an inch or a mile counts for the same thing in World Cup knockout matches.

The Proteas have only faced this opponent twice in the shortest format of the game, both times at the T20 World Cup (2010 and 2016), and won on both occasions, which will give them a significant psychological advantage heading into this contest.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s ride to the semi-final is a remarkable achievement and underlines the progress made by the nation in recent years despite being ranked 10th in the world according to the ICC T20 Rankings.

During the group stage, the Blue Tigers held off New Zealand to progress alongside the West Indies to the Super Eight, where they pulled off a remarkable 21-run victory over Australia in game two, which ultimately knocked the Baggy Greens out of the competition.

The final match of the second phase saw Afghanistan overcome neighbouring Bangladesh by eight runs via the DLS method, earning them their first-ever semi-final berth in a World Cup tournament.

Against the Tigers, captain Rashid Khan emerged as the standout performer, scoring a quickfire 19* in the dying overs before leading the bowling attack with a tournament-best 4/23, while Naveen-ul-Haq also bagged 4-fer in 3.5 overs.

While they enter this match as the clear underdogs at the books, Afghanistan seem to relish being considered outsiders, and with players leading the standings with both bat and ball in the competition, a victory for them would not come as a complete shock.

Team News

© Reuters

Anrich Nortje had a fairly poor outing against the Windies, dropping a dolly in the field while he was also the only South African bowler to end the match without picking up a wicket.

That could be enough to prompt Markram, who took the new ball responsibilities upon himself in the match, to recall Ottniel Baartman for this match, while retaining Tabraiz Shamsi as the second spinner after his impressive 3/27 last time out.

One player who will be remembered long after the conclusion of this tournament by Afghanistan fans is Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is the current leading run-scorer in the competition with 281 runs in seven innings.

Ibrahim Zadran is third on that list and one of only five players to have crossed 200 runs in the tournament, while Fazalhaq Farooqi leads the leading wicket-taker standings with 16, one ahead of India’s Arshdeep Singh.

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik

Series so far

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: South Africa won by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

Match Seven: South Africa won by 3 wickets (DLS method)
West Indies – 135/8 (20)
South Africa 124/7 (16.1)

Afghanistan

Match One: Afghanistan won by 125 runs
Afghanistan – 183/5 (20)
Uganda – 58 (16)

Match Two: Afghanistan won by 84 runs
Afghanistan – 159/6 (20)
New Zealand – 75 (15.2)

Match Three: Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Papua New Guinea – 95 (19.5)
Afghanistan – 101/3 (15.1)

Match Four: Afghanistan lost by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Match Five: Afghanistan lost by 47 runs
India – 181/8 (20)
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Match Six: Afghanistan won by 21 runs
Afghanistan – 148/6 (20)
Australia – 127 (19.2)

Match Seven: Afghanistan won by 8 runs (DLS method)
Afghanistan – 115/5 (20)
Bangladesh – 105 (17.5)

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

Regardless of the outcome of this match, Afghanistan have been a joy to behold in this competition and there is no doubt we will see them in the latter stages of world tournaments more regularly in the future.

However, despite not being at their absolute best, South Africa’s unbeaten record is difficult to overlook and we feel the Proteas will be able to shed their semi-final curse by finally reaching a World Cup final this year.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final between the India and England, scheduled to be played at the Providence Stadium on Thursday.

The penultimate match of what has been an engrossing T20 World Cup will see India taking on England at the Providence Stadium in the second semi-final on Thursday afternoon.

This edition has already delivered a little bit of everything, and it is somewhat fitting that the tournament favourites and defending champions cross paths to earn their spot in the grand final.

Match preview

© Imago

Aside from the host nations, India have undoubtedly had the biggest fan support of any nation at this year’s T20 World Cup, and thousands of blue shirts were in attendance to see their heroes romp into the semis by beating Australia on Monday afternoon.

Rohit Sharma scored a majestic 92 runs from just 41 balls at the top of the innings, taking his side to the tournament’s second-highest total of 205/5, only behind the West Indies’ 218/5 against Afghanistan in the final match of the first phase.

Despite losing David Warner early doors, the Aussies got off to a brisk start with Travis Head taking it to the Indian opening bowlers but the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel slowed the run rate significantly in the middle overs, which Mitchell Marsh‘s side were unable to recover from.

The Men in Blue are one of only two sides, along with South Africa, that have reached the last four without losing a game, with their only dropped points during the group stage coming as a result of their match against Canada being washed out without a ball bowled.

All else aside, if India could have chosen any of the remaining three teams to face in this match, it would likely be England, as it was the Three Lions that knocked them out in this very match in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

© Reuters

When these two met at the Adelaide Oval in the last edition of this tournament, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler led England to victory with what still stands as the highest any-wicket partnership in T20 World Cup history (170*).

That knock surpassed Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock‘s 168 made earlier in the same competition and that was also the last time these T20 World Cup champions have faced each other in the shortest format of the game in any competition.

Buttler posted an unbeaten 80 that day as the Three Lions won without losing a wicket, and the skipper pulled off a similar feat in the last match at this World Cup, scoring 83* alongside his current opening partner Phil Salt to lead his side to a 10-wicket victory over the United States.

While England ultimately reached this stage of the competition by finishing two points ahead of the West Indies in the Super Eight, the significance of Buttler’s knock at the time was huge, as it came before the Windies’ match against South Africa, when the co-hosts had a significantly better net run-rate.

However, aside from their victory against the US, the Three Lions have been far from convincing, not just in this competition, but in the white-ball formats for last couple of years, during which they were dumped out of the ODI World Cup in the group stage and suffered T20 series defeats against New Zealand and the West Indies in the last six months.

Team News

© Imago

Arshdeep Singh caught the eye at the recently concluded Indian Premier League for the Punjab Kings and has continued his excellent form in this competition, now the tied leading wicket-taker on 15 alongside Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi.

After a couple of solid knocks, Virat Kohli was dismissed without troubling the scoring against Australia. With that, the two-time leading run-scorer of the T20 World Cup matched an unwanted feat, joining former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra to have bagged a brace of ducks in a single edition of the tournament.

Buttler’s knock of 83* in the last match has taken him to eighth in the leading run-scorer standings in the competition with 191, followed by Phil Salt in ninth on 183 and a strike rate of 166.36, which is the best of the top-10 on the same list.

Chris Jordan made a very strong case to be included in the starting 11 in the final, taking a blinding catch to dismiss Harmeet Singh in the last match before wrapping up the US innings with a hat-trick.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

Series so far

India

Match One: India won by 8 wickets
Ireland – 96 (16)
India – 97/2 (12.2)

Match Two: India won by 6 runs
India – 119 (19)
Pakistan – 113/7 (20)

Match Three: India won by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Match Five: India won by 47 runs
India – 181/8
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Match Six: India won by 50 runs
India – 196/5 (20)
Bangladesh – 146/8 (20)

Match Seven: India won by 24 runs
India – 205/5 (20)
Australia – 181/7 (20)

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

Match Five: England won by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

Match Six: England lost by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

Match Seven: England won by 10 wickets
USA – 115 (18.5)
England – 117/0 (9.4)

© PA Photos

We say: India to win

Matches featuring these two cricket heavyweights seldom disappoint, and provided the weather plays its part, this should be no different.

However, India have firmly established themselves as the team to beat in this competition and we feel they will be the ones heading to Barbados this weekend.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between West Indies and South Africa, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday.

Arguably the most important match of Group 2 in the Super Eight at the 2024 T20 World Cup will see the West Indies taking on South Africa at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday afternoon.

South Africa currently lead the group with four points and are in the driver’s seat to reach the last four, while the West Indies are second but do possess the best net run rate of any side in the group.

Match preview

© Reuters

The West Indies were one of only three teams along with South Africa and Australia to play and win all four matches in the first phase, but they saw their spotless record blemished in the first match of the Super Eight by England.

Batting first, the Windies posted a defendable 180/4, but as we have seen for much of the tournament, the pitch provided the bowlers with very little assistance and the English batsmen, led by Phil Salt, took advantage and chased down the target with 2.3 overs to spare.

Nevertheless, the tournament co-hosts bounced back well on Saturday as they surged to a commanding nine-wicket victory over their Northern Hemisphere counterparts, chasing down 128 in just 10.5 overs.

As a result, that has given the Windies a very strong net run rate of +1.814, which could play a crucial part in the qualification equation with England still in the hunt heading into their final Super Eight match against the US.

Wins for the West Indies and England will mean the top two spots will be decided on net run rate, while a loss for the Windies here will see them knocked out if England beat the US on Sunday.

© Reuters

South Africa have come through the two group stages with a perfect record of six wins in six, though many would likely agree that they have not been at their absolute best despite their flawless record.

The Proteas have been run close more than once in the competition, beating Bangladesh by four runs in the first phase, while almost suffering a shock defeat to Nepal, who came up a single run short of what would have been the upset of the tournament.

In the Super Eight phase, South Africa got by the United States by 18 runs in their first match before another heart-in-mouth final few overs against England on Friday, where they came away with a slender seven-run victory.

However, the one thing that has improved for the Proteas as the tournament has gone on is the performance of their top order, particularly Quinton de Kock, who has notched up back-to-back half-centuries heading into this encounter.

Despite their strong position, Aiden Markram‘s side could still be knocked out of the competition if they lose this match by a sizable margin and England pick up a big win over the United States.

Team News

After an excellent IPL with the Lucknow Super Giants, Nicholas Pooran has continued his tremendous run-scoring form and now leads the standings in this competition with 227 in six games.

Despite failing to take a wicket in the last match, youngster Akeal Hosein has done a remarkable job for the West Indies with the new ball. He is likely to open the bowling once again in this match opposite Andre Russell.

As mentioned, the upturn in De Kock’s form has been a blessing for the South African middle-order though the performances of Reeza Hendricks are sure to be causing a concern for Proteas ahead of the knockouts.

Markram opted to revert to one specialist spinner against England last week, bringing back Ottneil Baartman in place of Tabraiz Shamsi, though the captain my opt to give the left-armer another chance in this one.

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Series so far

West Indies

Match One: West Indies won by five wickets
Papua New Guinea – 136/8 (20)
West Indies – 137/5 (19)

Match Two: West Indies won by 134 runs
West Indies – 173/5 (20)
Uganda – 39 (12)

Match Three: West Indies won by 13 runs
West Indies – 149/9 (20)
New Zealand – 136/9 (20)

Match Four: West Indies won by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Match Five: West Indies lost by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

Match Six: West Indies won by 9 wickets
USA – 128 (19.5)
West Indies – 130/1 (10.5)

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: South Africa won by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

Both these sides have shown that they are susceptible to the odd poor performance, but the main difference has been that South Africa have managed to dig themselves out each time so far.

This promises to be a captivating contest with both teams dreaming of a semi-final berth, but we feel the Proteas will hold on for a close victory.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between the USA and England, scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval on Sunday.

England have it all to do when they take on the United States in their final Super Eight T20 World Cup match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday afternoon.

It is still anybody’s ball game in Group 2, with all four teams still in the running to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition which gets underway on Thursday.

Match preview

© Imago

Few would have had the United States down as a team to reach the Super Eight, but they have been a joy to behold in this competition and their performance to this point suggests that they are one to watch in the coming years.

Indeed, the tournament co-hosts can still reach the final four, though it will require them to win this match by a huge margin, while also needing a massive slice of luck in the South Africa vs West Indies matchup.

After finishing second in their group, the US have found it difficult against the Test-playing nations in the second round. They conceded back-to-back defeats against South Africa and the West Indies in the last two games.

Still, if the US have shown anything in this competition, it has been character, and it would be foolish to think they will enter this contest with any other intention than to try and dispatch the English bowling attack to all parts.

Regardless of the outcome here, the hosts can be proud of their performance and will also look back fondly on their incredible super over victory against cricketing powerhouse Pakistan in their second match of the competition.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, England find themselves in almost the exact same position as they were in the first phase of the competition, staring elimination in the face, heading into their final match of the group.

England are currently level on two points with the Windies but are well behind on net run rate. England’s NRR is currently +0.412 while the West Indies are on +1.814 ahead of their final fixture.

That means England will need to win this match by a big margin to overtake the other host nation, alternatively, they will need the Proteas to do them a huge favour and beat the West Indies, thus making any victory in this match enough to qualify for the semi-final.

The Three Lions beat the West Indies in their first match of the Super Eight but came up seven runs short of the Proteas on Friday, despite Harry Brook scoring an impressive 53 off just 37 balls.

Despite the position they are in, you can never completely write off the defending champions, and Jos Buttler and co will enter this match with the objective of wrapping things up early before the nervous wait for the match between the group leaders on Monday starts.

Team News

US opener Andries Gous notched up another 29 runs against the West Indies last time out and is now up to second place in the leading run-scorer standings with 211. Only he and Nicholas Pooran have accumulated more than 200 runs in the competition to date.

Aaron Jones rounds out the top 10 run-scorers in the competition with 152 and also has the second-highest individual score of 94*. Harmeet Singh was the only player to take a wicket against the Windies and will be key the the USA’s chances of containing England in this match.

Phil Salt has carried his excellent Indian Premier League form into the T20 World Cup and is up to eighth place in the leading run-scorer standings, current on 158 in five innings, with a strike rate north of 170.

The major disappointment for England in this tournament has been the relatively poor performances of their bowling unit. Jofra Archer notched three wickets in the loss to South Africa, but the likes of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali have struggled to find the same type of joy as some of their counterparts.

USA squad: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

Series so far

United States

Match One: USA won by 7 wickets
Canada – 194/5 (20)
USA – 197/3 (17.4)

Match Two: USA won the super over by 5 runs
Pakistan – 159/7 & 13/1
USA – 159/3 & 18/1

Match Three: USA lost by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Match Five: USA lost by 18 runs
South Africa – 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: United States lost by 9 wickets
USA – 128 (19.5)
West indies – 130/1 (10.5)

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

Match Five: England won by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

Match Six: England lost by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: England to win

The USA have won the hearts of many neutrals in this competition and they will come out guns blazing here, as they can still mathematically qualify for the semi-final.

However, despite England’s uninspiring form at this tournament, they are still one of the best sides in the world and we feel they will secure a comfortable victory here before turning their attention to the crucial battle of the group leaders on Monday.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan and Australia, scheduled to be played at the Amos Vale Stadium on Sunday.

Australia will look to keep their perfect record at the 2024 T20 World Cup intact when they take on Afghanistan at the Amos Vale Stadium in Kingstown on Sunday afternoon.

The Aussies can book their place in the next round with a win here, provided India beat Bangladesh in the other match in Group 1 of the Super Eight this weekend.

Match preview

© Reuters

After flying out the blocks with victories in their first three games, including a crucial one over New Zealand, Afghanistan have found it difficult to keep their momentum going, and enter this match following back-to-back defeats.

The first of those came against co-hosts the West Indies in the final round of group-stage matches, where a Nicholas Pooran masterclass led the Windies to a commanding 104-run victory in Saint Lucia.

In their first match of the Super Eights, the Blue Tigers suffered a 47-run loss to the tournament favourites India, despite another excellent performance from Fazalhaq Farooqi, who added another three wickets to his tally in the tournament.

With that, the Afghans now face a do-or-die situation, as a loss here could spell the end of their title hopes, even before they play their final match of the round against Bangladesh on Tuesday morning.

Afghanistan have only faced the ODI and Test champions once in a T20 World Cup competition, back in the 2022 edition, and that ended in a narrow four-run defeat at the Adelaide Oval.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Australia’s hopes of becoming the first side to hold world titles in all three formats of the game simultaneously are still alive, as they head into this match looking to secure a sixth win in a row in this competition.

After getting through the group stage with little fuss, the Baggy Greens kicked off the second round of the tournament with a 28-run victory over dark horse Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday morning.

The Aussies were rewarded for the brisk start given to them by David Warner and Travis Head, as DLS deemed that they were well ahead of target when the heavens opened up in the 12th over.

Despite their good work with the bat, the day belonged to paceman Pat Cummins, who etched his name in the World Cup history books by taking only the seventh T20 World Cup hat-trick since the tournament came into existence in 2007.

With that result, Australia have now won seven of their last eight T20 internationals in all competitions, and the major concern for the rest of the sides in the tournament will be that Mitchell Marsh‘s men seem to be getting better with each game.

Team News

© Reuters

Australia’s top-order are starting to come good at the perfect time and the duo of Head and Warner are now up to fourth and sixth place in the leading run-scorer standings with 179 and 169 runs in five innings respectively.

While the headlines of the last match belonged to Cummins, Adam Zampa picked up another two wickets for the loss of just 24 runs. He is now the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition and will play a crucial role for the Aussies for the remainder of the tournament.

Whether Afghanistan make it beyond this stage of the competition, they have delivered some of the best individual player performances so far, and none more so than that of Farooqi, who is the out-and-out leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps in 18.2 overs.

Other players that have stood out for the Blue Tigers are Rashid Khan, who has nine wickets in five games and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who held the top spot in runs scored since week two, though he has slipped to fifth since the start of the Super Eight.

Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Series so far

Afghanistan

Match One: Afghanistan won by 125 runs
Afghanistan – 183/5 (20)
Uganda – 58 (16)

Match Two: Afghanistan won by 84 runs
Afghanistan – 159/6 (20)
New Zealand – 75 (15.2)

Match Three: Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Papua New Guinea – 95 (19.5)
Afghanistan – 101/3 (15.1)

Match Four: Afghanistan lost by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Match Five: Afghanistan lost by 47 runs
India – 181/8 (20)
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Australia

Match One: Australia won by 39 runs
Australia – 164/5 (20)
Oman – 125/9 (20)

Match Two: Australia won by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: Australia won by 9 wickets
Namibia – 72 (17)
Australia – 74/1 (5.4)

Match Four: Australia won by 5 wickets
Scotland – 180/5 (20)
Australia – 186/5 (19.4)

Match Five: Australia won by 28 runs (DLS method)
Bangladesh – 140/8 (20)
Australia – 100/2 (11.2) Target 73

© PA Photos

We say: Australia to win

Based on performance up to this point in the competition, Australia look like the side to beat and seem to be getting better with each match they play. Indeed, Afghanistan are expected to give it their all here, as they always do, but we feel it will not be enough to overcome the formidable Aussies.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between the West Indies and the United States, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards on Saturday.

India will continue their bid to win a second T20 World Cup trophy when they face Bangladesh in Saturday’s Super Eight matchup at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Bangladesh need a win after beginning the Super Eight phase with a heavy defeat to Australia, while India already have two points on the board after beating Afghanistan on Thursday.

Match preview

© Imago

India are bidding to win their first ICC tournament since winning the Champions Trophy in England and Wales in 2013.

For a nation blessed with so much talent, it is perhaps surprising that they have not won the T20 World Cup since MS Dhoni‘s side prevailed in the inaugural tournament in 2007.

Seventeen years later, Rohit Sharma‘s side appear to be well set to go all the way after breezing through the group stage and winning their opening match in the Super Eight phase.

After beginning their campaign with a dominant over Ireland, the Men in Blue went on to beat their arch-rivals Pakistan and tournament co-hosts USA to seal their spot in the Super Eight with a game to spare.

As it proved, their final group encounter against Canada was abandoned due to rain, giving them a little bit more time to prepare for the Super Eight phase, where they are battling for a top-two spot in a group featuring Afghanistan, Bangladesh and 2021 T20 World Cup winners Australia.

They began the Super Eight with a relatively comfortable win over Afghanistan, posting 181 from their 20 overs before bowling out their opponents for 134, and another win on Saturday will be enough to secure a semi-final place if Australia pick up two points in the group’s other match.

© Reuters

With that permutation in mind, Bangladesh will most likely need to beat India to keep their hopes alive of reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the first time.

In fact, Bangladesh have only previously appeared in the semi-finals of a major ICC event on one occasion, reaching the last four of the 2017 Champions Trophy before losing to India by nine wickets at Edgbaston.

While a semi-final appearance will be the dream, Bangladesh may already view the World Cup as a success after they came through a tricky group to reach the Super Eight phase.

Bangladesh claimed victories against Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Nepal to finish in second place and two points behind unbeaten group winners South Africa.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, they were given a harsh reality check in Thursday’s Super Eight clash, mustering 140 from their 20 overs before Australia quickly racked up 100 from 11.2 overs for just the loss of two wickets, ensuring that they were well ahead of the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern total when the rain came to cut the match short.

The Tigers will be looking for a positive response against India, and they will need to produce a better performance than the one that they managed in their 60-run defeat to the Men in Blue in a World Cup warm-up game earlier this month.

Team News

© Reuters

Suryakumar Yadav is India’s second-highest run-scorer at the World Cup after hitting his 19th half-century in T20 internationals in the win over Afghanistan.

Virat Kohli has experienced a disappointing tournament up until this point, having mustered 29 runs across his four innings, but he still possesses the quality to single-handedly lead his side over the line.

Jasprit Bumrah remains India’s most dangerous bowler after posting remarkable figures in Thursday’s match, taking three wickets for just the concession of seven runs.

Meanwhile, Sharma will have to decide whether to recall paceman Mohammed Siraj or stick with the left-arm wrist spin of Kuldeep Yadav.

As for Bangladesh, Towhid Hridoy is currently his country’s leading run scorer at the tournament after accumulating 135 runs from his five innings.

The experienced Shakib Al Hasan has hit 100 runs in the competition, largely thanks to a 64 not out in the win over the Netherlands, but in addition to his batting efforts, the left-arm spinner will also have a role to play with the ball.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has proven to be one of Bangladesh’s standout players at the World Cup after picking up nine wickets at an average of 13.88.

Seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has also taken nine wickets, and he will also be key if the Tigers are to get on top of India’s impressive batting lineup.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Tournament so far

India

Group stage

Match One: India won by 8 wickets
Ireland – 96 (16)
India – 97/2 (12.2)

Match Two: India won by 6 runs
India – 119 (19)
Pakistan – 113/7 (20)

Match Three: India won by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Super Eight

Match Five: India won by 47 runs
India – 181/8 (20)
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Bangladesh

Group stage

Match One: Bangladesh won by 2 wickets
Sri Lanka – 124/9 (20)
Bangladesh – 125/8 (19)

Match Two: Bangladesh lost by 2 wickets
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Three – Bangladesh won by 25 runs
Bangladesh – 159/5 (20)
Netherlands – 134/8 (20)

Match Four: Bangladesh won by 21 runs
Bangladesh – 106 (19.3)
Nepal – 85 (19.2)

Super Eight

Match Five: Bangladesh lost by 28 runs (DLS)
Bangladesh – 140/8 (20)
Australia – 100/2 (11.2)

© PA Photos

We say: India to win

Bangladesh have tended to fare well with the ball at the tournament, but they have struggled to match those standards when it has been their turn to bat, and that potential weakness could be exposed against India’s elite bowling lineup, which is why we think that the Men in Blue will emerge victorious on Saturday.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between the West Indies and the United States, scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval on Friday.

The T20 World Cup co-hosts will go head-to-head when West Indies face the United States in Friday’s Super Eight meeting at the T20 World Cup.

West Indies began the Super Eight phase with a disappointing defeat against England, while the USA failed to get the better of South Africa despite putting in a competitive performance.

Match preview

© Reuters

After failing to qualify for last year’s 50-over World Cup, West Indies came into their home tournament with a point to prove.

The side, overseen by coach Darren Sammy, produced a flawless performance in the first stage, beating Papua New Guinea, Uganda, New Zealand and Afghanistan to finish top of Group C with maximum points.

West Indies racked up 218 in their 104-run victory against Afghanistan, and they appeared to be on course to pose another score in excess of 200 in Wednesday’s Super Eight clash with reigning world T20 champions England.

They were sitting pretty at 137-2 at the 15-over mark, but England fought back to restrict West Indies to 180-4 after 20 overs.

Jos Buttler and co ultimately made light work of the total, as the West Indies bowling attack struggled to contain the likes of Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow, who put together a formidable partnership to win the game with 15 balls remaining.

After suffering their first defeat of the tournament, captain Rovman Powell knows that his side need to beat the USA if they are to have a realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals as they look to keep their hopes alive of winning the tournament for the third time.

© Imago

Meanwhile, as an associate nation, the United States have already surpassed expectations by making it to the Super Eight stage in their first-ever appearance at the T20 World Cup.

They began the tournament with a seven-wicket victory against Canada, before they pulled off a major upset to beat Pakistan in a Super Over.

Although they were beaten by India, the USA still managed to secure a top-two spot after their final group game against Ireland was washed out due to the heavy rain in Florida.

The United States continued their memorable tournament with a competitive display in their Super Eight match against South Africa, falling just 18 runs short in their chase of 194 to reinforce the belief that the associate nations belong at these tournaments.

While securing a semi-final berth seems an unthinkable proposition, the USA will attempt to spring a surprise against their tournament co-hosts and claim a win that would set up a dramatic final game against England.

Team News

© Reuters

West Indies opener Brandon King is a doubt for the rest of the tournament after being forced to retire hurt against England due to a side strain.

If King is ruled out of the World Cup, West Indies could call up one of their stand-by players, with Andre Fletcher and Kyle Mayers among the contenders to come into the main squad.

Nicholas Pooran will be key to his side’s batting efforts, having racked up 200 runs in his five innings, making him the highest run scorer at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Romario Shephard may see his position come under threat after he conceded 41 off his two overs against England, including 30 off one over to the destructive Salt.

Meanwhile, USA skipper Monank Patel remains a doubt, having been forced to miss the last two matches against India and South Africa due to injury.

Aaron Jones will captain the USA for a third consecutive match if Patel remains unavailable for the second Super-Eight match.

Wicket-keeper Andries Gous will be looking to produce another meaningful contribution with the bat after hitting five fours and five sixes on his way to scoring 80 not out in the defeat to South Africa.

Saurabh Netravalkar has been the USA’s standout bowler in the tournament, and he showcased his skills by recording bowling figures of 2-21 in the defeat to South Africa.

Team A squad: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir

Team B squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

Tournament so far

West Indies

Group stage

Match One: West Indies won by five wickets
Papua New Guinea – 136/8 (20)
West Indies – 137/5 (19)

Match Two: West Indies won by 134 runs
West Indies – 173/5 (20)
Uganda – 39 (12)

Match Three: West Indies won by 13 runs
West Indies – 149/9 (20)
New Zealand – 136/9 (20)

Match Four: West Indies won by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Super Eight

Match Five: West Indies lost by eight wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

United States

Group stage

Match One: USA won by 7 wickets
Canada – 194/5 (20)
USA – 197/3 (17.4)

Match Two: USA won the super over by 5 runs
Pakistan – 159/7 & 13/1
USA – 159/3 & 18/1

Match Three: USA lost by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Super Eight

Match Five: USA lost by 18 runs
USA – 176/6 (20)
South Africa – 194/4 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: West Indies to win

West Indies would have been disappointed with their overall performance against England after they failed to maximise their solid start with the bat and struggled to stop the flow of runs when it came to their bowling effort.

However, they still have a destructive batting lineup and a solid bowling group, who should all do enough to outclass the USA in Friday’s contest.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between England and South Africa, scheduled to be played at the Beausejour Stadium on Friday.

Familiar foes England and South Africa will lock horns in their second match of the Super Eight phase at the 2024 T20 World Cup On Friday afternoon at the Beausejour Stadium.

Both sides come into this match off the back of impressive wins last time out, and another victory here will put them in a commanding position to reach the semi-final.

Match preview

© Reuters

After a shaky start to the tournament and squeaking through the group stage, England seem to have found top gear and will head into this encounter brimming with confidence following an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies just 24 hours ago.

Jos Buttler won the toss and sent the Windies in to bat, and there were concerns that it may have been the wrong decision, as the tournament co-hosts got off to an excellent start and posted a very defendable 180/4 in 20 overs.

In contrast to the group-stage matches, the pitches being used in the Super Eight matches have been much more batsmen-friendly, and the English bowling attack, particularly the pacemen, struggled to have much of an impact.

However, with the bat, the Three Lions flew out the traps, led by Phil Salt, who managed a tournament-high 87 runs in 47 balls, including seven fours and five sixes. He was supported well by Buttler and Jonny Bairstow, as England managed to chase down the total with 15 balls to spare.

That result would have done wonders for the side’s morale and they will also benefit from the fact that they will be playing on the same pitch in this match, while the South Africans played their last match up in Antigua and Barbuda.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, South Africa kept their perfect record in this competition intact by beating the United States in their opening match of the Super Eights at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Batting first, the Proteas posted 194/4 in 20 overs, which was their highest total of the competition by some distance, with their previous best being 115/7 against Nepal in their final group-stage match.

After a dismal group stage in which he scored just 48 runs in four innings, wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock finally broke the shackles, scoring an impressive 74 runs in 40 balls at the top of the innings, giving his side a solid platform to build on, which is something they have not had for the majority of the competition.

While the surface did not give the bowlers much assistance, Kagiso Rabada put in a solid spell, picking up his best figures in this year’s T20 World Cup of 3/18 in his four overs, helping to contain the US to 176/6.

The Proteas now face their sternest test of the competition but do have a slight psychological advantage over this opponent, having beaten them 2-1 in the most recent three-match series back in July 2022.

Team News

© Reuters

Phil Salt’s innings against the West Indies saw him move up to seventh in the leading run-scorer standings, currently on 147 in four innings at a strike rate of 181.48.

Aside from Jofra Archer, none of the English pace bowlers managed to pick up a wicket against the Windies, and Buttler may consider bringing Chris Jordan back into the starting 11, especially given the short turnaround time between games.

For Aiden Markram, the big call will be over whether to continue with two spinners in the side. Tabraiz Shamsi had an excellent outing against Nepal in the final group match but went for more than 12 runs an over against the US in the last match.

Should the Proteas’ skipper opt to go with one spinner, it would likely mean that Ottneil Baartman will return to the lineup after being left out for Shamsi in the last match.

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Series so far

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

Match Five: England won by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: England to win

While South Africa have the better record in the competition, their top-order has been largely inconsistent despite having a significantly easier fixture list to this point.

England’s batsmen, on the other hand, seem to have adapted well to the conditions here in Saint Lucia and will benefit massively from having had time in the centre against the West Indies just a day earlier.

It is usually an excellent watch when these two powerhouses collide, but we feel the Three Lions have the better batting lineup to come out on top in this one.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between Australia and Bangladesh, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday.

The Super Eight phase of the 2024 T20 World Cup will resume on Friday morning with Australia taking on Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda.

Australia came through the group stage of the competition with a perfect record and won Group B, while Bangladesh defied the odds to edge Sri Lanka to a qualification spot in Group D.

Match preview

© Reuters

Australia’s dream of becoming the first side in history to hold the title in all three formats of the game simultaneously is still alive, as they emerged from the group stages as one of only three teams to have played and won all four of their scheduled fixtures.

Given the dominant fashion that they dispatched the associate nations and at no point looked likely to lose to England, there is a case to be made that they were the pick of the teams in the first round, which has also seen them shorten in price significantly, closing the gap to current tournament favourites India.

However, Mitchell Marsh‘s side are now set to encounter a very tricky situation, having been drawn into Group A, which is made up of three Asian teams, India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, which suggests that they are likely to face a trial by spin over this phase of the competition.

Notably, Marsh seems to have already taken this into consideration, as we saw him alter his bowling plans in their last group-stage match against Scotland, where he played all three of his spinners and allowed them their full four-over quotas, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were given a rest.

While the Aussies will already have one eye on their blockbuster matchup against India next week, they will know that they cannot overlook Bangladesh, having suffered a 4-1 defeat to the Tigers in their last five-match series at the end of 2021.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Bangladesh got their T20 World Cup campaign started on a high note, securing an opening-match victory against Sri Lanka with a successful chase of 125 in 19 overs, led by Towhid Hridoy‘s explosive 40 runs off 20 balls.

The Tigers’ only setback in the first round came against South Africa in game two, where they narrowly lost by four runs in a closely contested game that they might feel slipped through their fingers.

In their final group-stage fixture, Bangladesh overcame Nepal with a 21-run victory, thanks to a career-best four-wicket haul by Tanzim Hasan Sakib that helped earn their place in the Super Eights, aiming for their first ICC Trophy.

Sakib is now one of four bowlers currently tied for second place in the leading wicket-taker standings with nine wickets during the first round of the competition, three behind outright leader Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan.

Bangladesh have competed in all nine editions of the T20 World Cup and possess an all-time record of 12 wins, 29 losses and one no-result in 42 games. This is only the second time they have reached the Super Eight phase in the 12-team format of the competition.

Team News

© Reuters

In his debut T20 World Cup match, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was given the new ball against Scotland and delivered a spell of 4-0-39-1. It will be interesting to see if Marsh maintains the same tactic or reverts to his pacemen from the start.

Earlier this week, it was announced that all-rounder Marcus Stoinis had ascended to the number one position in the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings, thanks to his exceptional performance in this competition.

In the latest ICC rankings, Stoinis leads with a rating of 231, followed by Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga in second place and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan in third.

Speaking of Al Hasan, the Bangladesh veteran has had a fairly quiet tournament, managing only one innings of real significance, when he helped his side to victory over the Netherlands with an excellent unbeaten 64 of 46 balls in game three.

While Tanzim Sakib has gained most of the headlines for his bowling performances in the competition, Mustafizur Rahman has largely gone under the radar but has been just as valuable to the Tigers. The left-armer has taken seven wickets in four games and rounds out the current top-10 leading wicket-takers in the tournament.

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Series so far

Australia

Match One: Australia won by 39 runs
Australia – 164/5 (20)
Oman – 125/9 (20)

Match Two: Australia won by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: Australia won by 9 wickets
Namibia – 72 (17)
Australia – 74/1 (5.4)

Match Four: Australia won by 5 wickets
Scotland – 180/5 (20)
Australia – 186/5 (19.4)

Bangladesh

Match One: Bangladesh won by 2 wickets
Sri Lanka – 124/9 (20)
Bangladesh – 125/8 (19)

Match Two: Bangladesh lost by 2 wickets
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Three – Bangladesh won by 25 runs
Bangladesh – 159/5 (20)
Netherlands – 134/8 (20)

Match Four: Bangladesh won by 21 runs
Bangladesh – 106 (19.3)
Nepal – 85 (19.2)

© PA Photos

We say: Australia to win

While Bangladesh have done very well to this point, they have not faced any side that has looked as good as Australia in this tournament. The Baggy Greens have barely broken a sweat so far and we feel they will win this match fairly comfortably.

ID:546263:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect10125:

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